Dr Hussam Abu Safia ‘systematically denied’ medical remedy in Israeli detention, UN particular rapporteurs warn.
Revealed On 24 Mar 2026
United Nations consultants are calling on Israel to right away launch Dr Hussam Abu Safia, warning that the Palestinian doctor from Gaza has been subjected to “extreme torture” and different abuses in Israeli detention.
In a statement on Tuesday, UN particular rapporteurs Tlaleng Mofokeng and Ben Saul mentioned that they had acquired reviews that Abu Safia’s well being situation “stays dire”.
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“He has been systematically denied crucial medical examination and remedy, and disadvantaged of important care to such an extent that his life, well being, and wellbeing have been gravely endangered,” they mentioned.
Abu Safia, the previous director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was detained by Israeli forces in December 2024 amid Israel’s genocidal conflict towards Palestinians within the coastal enclave.
He was arrested after refusing to go away the hospital, which was the final functioning well being facility in Gaza’s north, amid Israeli assaults.
Like many different detainees from the Gaza Strip, Israel has held Abu Safia with out cost or trial, prompting widespread condemnation.
His arrest and detention are “a mirrored image of Israel’s systematic concentrating on of Palestinian well being staff and the decimation of the healthcare system in Gaza to be able to inflict circumstances of life calculated to carry in regards to the bodily destruction of Palestinians”, Amnesty International said.
In Tuesday’s assertion, the UN consultants mentioned Abu Safia “has suffered an arbitrary deprivation of liberty, violation of his human rights, together with the appropriate of each human being to be free from torture and ailing remedy, and his proper to well being is being eroded”.
They urged the worldwide neighborhood, together with nations “with affect on Israel”, to take motion “to make sure prevention, recourse and justice”.
“Israel should launch Dr Abu Safiya and all well being care staff, and guarantee they’ve entry to acceptable medical care,” they mentioned.
Greater than 900 assaults on healthcare sector
Gaza’s healthcare community has been decimated by Israel’s conflict on the enclave, with more than 930 attacks on the sector recorded since October 2023, based on World Well being Group (WHO) figures from final month.
All 36 hospitals within the Strip have suffered injury on account of Israeli assaults, the WHO mentioned, whereas solely half of all hospitals are partially practical.
Palestinian healthcare staff have additionally been focused all through the conflict.
Humanitarian group Medical Assist for Palestinians (MAP) mentioned not less than 1,722 medical workers have been killed between October 2023 and October 2025 – a mean of greater than two killed day-after-day.
